Not A Fairytale (SYOC)
by majestictales
Summary: Prince Alexandre had known two things for almost his entire life. One, he would one day have his own Selection, and become King. Two, magic is an evil that must be stopped. Well, the day of Alexandre's Selection has arrived, and soon he will have thirty five girls knocking down his door. But while there may be magic in Illéa, this is not a fairytale. (SYOC now closed! Thank you!)
1. Chapter 1: Beautiful Fear

_Chapter 1: Beautiful Fear _

Prince Alexandre Schreave of Illéa paced nervously as the camera crew finished setting up for the weekly _Illéa Capital Report_. Sure, being on live national television in front of millions of people was pretty normal for him, but this day was not like all of the other Fridays. In less than two weeks, he would turn nineteen. Meaning that in less two weeks, he would meet his future wife.

Of course, she would show up with thirty four other girls and he had absolutely no idea how to tell which one he was supposed to marry. Which one he would fall in love with. If any of them! Granted, she didn't know that she was going to be his wife either, but at least once the girls were Selected, they only had one heart to win over. As long as they stayed in the Selection, they only had one option for a husband. Lucky them.

"Alec, stop pacing or you will wear a hole in the carpet." the Queen said with an understanding smile as she entered the broadcast room. She made her way over to the royal family's seats, and sat down by the King, who was reading through some notes for his weekly address.

Alec started, brought out of his fretful reverie by a hand being clapped on his back. He whirled around to see Prince Aidan smirking up at him. He was four years younger but four times as cocky.

"Seriously man, what are you so worried about? There are about to be thirty five girls knocking down our door, and you get the pick of the lot!" Alec rolled his eyes as Aidan pushed past him and flopped into a chair by the King and Queen. Alec thought he could hear Aidan mutter something under his breath, something like, "four years couldn't go fast enough."

Taking a deep breath, Alexandre moved over to the seat on his father's right hand. His Majesty finally looked up from his notes as a crewman announced a 30 second warning.

King Tristan took his place at the podium as the national anthem played. He set his notes to the side and pasted on a charming smile. As the final notes played, he looked Alec in the eyes and gave him a subtle nod. _It's time._

"Good evening Illéa! We have an important announcement later, so we'll get right into it. I have some brief news first, and there will be a quick report by the Financial Team, after which I have asked my son, Prince Alexandre, to speak to you."

Alec could only imagine the excitement at the studios of the national news stations. They weren't idiots - they knew that he was almost nineteen, so an 'important announcement' could only mean one thing. The Selection.

"We are still working on finding the exact source of the attack on the capital last week. However, we have determined that there _was _sorcery involved, and we are attempting to track down the rebels involved. As we told you last week, there was fortunately only one fatality. The five others that were wounded in the attack are making a gradual recovery, and we ask that you pray for them and their families. If there is any one of you who has any information that could aid our search, I urge you to come forward. We are doing all that we can to find the despicable sorcerers responsible. In the mean time, we caution you to stay safe."

The King stood back from the stand as the Head Royal Financial Advisor stepped forward. He sat down next to Alec with a sigh, his mouth a grim line.

Alec couldn't focus on what the Financial Advisor was saying. He was already stressed about the announcement that he was supposed to making in just a few minutes, and now he was thinking about magic. The topic in general had a knack for throwing a damper in his mood. Were they idiots for announcing the Selection when there were obviously more important things to be worrying about? His father had been involving Alec into the running of the country more and more lately, pressuring him to learn how to follow in his father's footsteps. There were rebels out there with dark magic on their side, relations with New Asia were on the rocks, and now he was supposed to date thirty five girls? At once? The rebels were getting more violent and attacking the capital and even the palace.

Would the girls even be safe here?

He was brought back to reality when the Financial Advisor finished speaking and his father gently nudged him forward. Time to put on a show.

**A/N:** I know the chapter was short, and this is long, but It would be lovely if you read this before submitting… please? :D

**Hi there! **

**So… plot twist! There's magic in Illéa! Only one problem though…. It's against the law. Which means, of course, that the rebels have no problem using it for their own purposes. I'll get more into the whole magic thing as the story goes along, reveal more about why it's outlawed and all that. This is an AU, so it would be at about the same time as Maxon's, but with Tristan and Alec and all of them instead of Clarkson, Amberly, and Maxon. (also, I'm not having there be a war in New Asia yet, in order to focus more the rebel plot line)**

**This is an SYOC! I've had so much fun creating characters for all of the other great SYOCs out there, so I thought it was finally time for me to write my own. I apologize if updates are inconsistent though, I just started college a few weeks ago, so I'm trying to focus on How to Survive College Freshmanhood 101. But I've been wanting to do this for a while now, and I though I'd give it a go!**

**The form for your characters is below, but I will also post it on my profile so that you can copy/paste if you want. I will also post the characters there as I get them. I'm thinking I'll probably go to 20-25 submissions before I cut it off, and then just make up the rest of the characters and eliminate them. But I will take up to 35! We'll see how it goes. Oh, and I prefer PM for submissions, but reviews are okay too if you really must. **

**A few more notes on submissions. I'm looking for variety, like every SYOC out there, but I'm also looking for realistic characters. I mean, avoid the whole "professional athlete who is also an amazing artist and singer-songwriter and speaks ten languages and has a tragic past, oh, and green hair" if you can. Not to scare you off though! I have no problem with a well-rounded girl. And I won't reject any characters. Don't be afraid to be creative! But also, please don't be offended if I ask if I can make a minor adjustment and make it three languages instead of ten :)**

**Thanks so much, I'm so excited for this! :) :D xD**

**Disclaimer: All rights for the Selection belong to Kiera Cass, ****_pas moi_****. Also, I'm just going to say now that the magic part of this was inspired by/based off of BBC Merlin, my favorite TV show of all time, which I also do not own any rights to. You don't need to have seen it to read this, but Merlin has a tendency to seep into any story that I think up. **

SYOC form:

**Full name:**

**Nickname:**

**Age:**

**Caste:**

**Province:**

**Occupation:**

**Languages:**

**Appearance: **_(please include face, hair, height and weight. if you have any preferences for post-makeover looks, include that too. links on your bio are welcome)_

**Personality**: _(please include both good and bad traits)_

**Family**: _(names are good, occupation better, little about their personality awesome!)_

**History**/**Background**: _(including any romantic history)_

**Hobbies**:

**Reason For Joining the Selection**: _(love? crown? family?)_

**Opinion on magic: **_(Okay, so here's the thing. My OC - who won't necessarily marry the prince, but will still be a main character - has magic. Spoiler alert. We'll meet her in a few chapters. Unfortunately, it doesn't really seem practical to have another character to have magic as well, unless you convince me with an EXTREMELY good reason for it. _(EDIT 9/20: 4Love4Love4 submitted a character with magic, with a good reason, and I sadly cannot take anymore. I wish I could!)_ But, I would like to know how your character feels about magic, whether she is sympathetic, curious, apathetic, very much against it, etc.)_

**Anything Else:**

**_Optional:_**Maids and how she treats them, post selection hair & makeup & wardrobe (links welcome and encouraged!), signature scent (credit to shadeslayerprincess111 for the idea ;D ), first date ideas, etc.


	2. Chapter 2: Do You Think I Could Do It

_Chapter 2: Do You Think I Could Do It_

"Good Evening Illéa!" Alexandre's face was a mask of charisma and excitement. He'd always been good at hiding personal feelings and doing what was best for his people. He'd been trained in it. Only, he wasn't entirely sure this _was _the best for his people.

A conversation with his father from the day before echoed back to him:

_"Are you sure I'm ready for this, father? And is this really a good time? The magic situation is only getting worse."_

_"Of course you are ready for this. You are my son and you have done everything that I have asked of you. You are growing up. And I know you are worried about the rebels, understandably so, but there is nothing that will cheer up the citizens better than a Selection."_

Well, here goes. "My father has asked me to give this announcement personally. As many of you know, I will be turning nineteen soon. It is the custom of this country to hold the Selection when a prince turns nineteen, so that he may find a wife among the beautiful Daughters of Illéa. Therefore, we invite all eligible young women from the ages of sixteen to twenty to participate in my Selection."

Alec could only imagine the reactions of the people across the country. Some were probably excited, ecstatic even, and some couldn't care less. Some would be surprised, while others would shout "I knew it!"

"In a few days, all of the eligible young women will receive an application in the mail. You have until May 28th to fill out the application and submit it at your nearest State Providence Office, where they will take your picture. That's ten days from now. I wish you all good luck! Now, I would like to introduce a man that we all know well. He will be keeping you all up to date on the events of the Selection as it progresses. Please welcome, Mr. Gavril Fadaye!" Alec took a deep breath when the camera turned to show Gavril's entrance. There. He had done it. The Selection was official.

The podium was removed and replaced with a seat for Gavril, facing the royals so that he could interview them. Alec shook his hand before sitting in his own chair.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, it's an honor to be here! What an exciting time for our nation." Gavril beamed. "In less than a month there will be thirty five girls storming down the castle. Any thoughts on that, Prince Alexandre?"

"It's pretty nerve-wracking, to be honest. But I'm sure they will all be wonderful." _Will they? _Alec thought to himself.

"Understandable. You have to pick one of them to be your wife, after all! Have you asked your father for any advice? He's been through this himself, of course!"

"My father has been very supportive leading up to this, and his opinion will be important to me as I make my decisions."

Gavril turned to the king. "Your Highness, anything to add?"

"My son is growing up, and I'm very proud of him. I'm sure his mother would have been too. I am certain he will make the right decision when the time comes." Tristan's smile was touched with sadness at the mention of his first wife.

"Of course, of course. Queen Amelie was a great woman, and we were lucky to have her, even for a short while." Gavril paused, giving a respectable silence in memory of the late Queen. "Now, Queen Cassia, you did not go through the Selection yourself, but do you have any motherly advice for the girls that enter?"

"Don't try to be someone other than yourself in your application. I've been Alexandre's stepmother for ten years now, and if there is one thing I know about him, it's that he appreciates honesty." Alec had to try very hard to keep from smirking at that comment. It was true, he disliked honesty as much as the next person, but when had the Queen taken any time to get to know him? She wasn't an evil stepmother by any standard, but she wasn't exactly warm and motherly to him. Not like his mother had been. The Queen spent much more time on her little boy, Aidan. Alec had never called her Mom, or even mother, and he rarely even called her Cassia. Just 'the Queen.'

_Well, guess what, princess. Your little boy isn't little anymore. Actually, he's kind of a jerk, _Alec thought to himself.

"Very true, my lady. Okay, Prince Aidan, I'm dying to hear your take on this. What do you think it will be like when a bunch of emotional teenage girls invade the palace? No offense," he added to the camera.

"I think it will be fun," Aidan chuckled. "I doubt I'll ever see so much drama again in my life. Well, maybe when I have my Selection."

"Haha, you are probably right! We have time for one more question, so let's have the man of the hour give the last word. Prince Alexandre, I'm sure all of the girls are dying to know, what are you looking for in the perfect girl?"

Alec pasted on a smile after having rolled his eyes at Aidan for the billionth time in his life.

"I don't think I will know until I meet her. Through the process of meeting and talking to them all, I hope to find it along the way."

"I see, very well said, sire! And with that, we wish you all a good night, and good luck to the Daughters of Illéa!"

The neon red 'ON AIR' sign clicked off, and Alexandre breathed a sigh of relief. There was no going back now. He wasn't sure he could bear the next few weeks of waiting.

**A/N: And there we have it! Chapter two! I know my chapters have been fairly short, but I decided that shorter chapters are better if I can get them out sooner. At least for the beginning. Let me know if you guys think other wise…. So 'the Queen' is his stepmother! What do you guys think of that? Actually, what do you think of the chapter in general? I'm sorry if there are weird verb tenses or a weird POV or just mistakes in general, I try, but I am ****_not _****and English student…**

**I've had two wonderful submissions so far, Lucy by ****_parade _****and Marissa by ****_4Love4Love4. _****Thanks so much, and keep submitting! Also, I forgot to mention that you are welcome to submit more than one character. Create away!**

**One other thing. ****_4Love4Love4 _****pointed out that having my OC be the only one to use magic makes her a bit of a Mary Sue, and we don't want that. So Marissa has magic as well. But, three characters with magic is a bit of a stretch, so I'm going to have to say no to any more girls who use magic. I'm really sorry! I would love it if there could be ALL THE MAGICS, but that just isn't realistic. :(**

**Anyway, I'm so grateful to all of the feedback I'm been getting! (****_shadeslayerprincess111_**** and ****_zanzibaby_**** even gave me a shoutout in their own SYOC stories! Thank you so so much! Go read their stories, they're fabulous!)**


	3. Chapter 3: Fire Burning Slowly

_Chapter 3: Fire Burning Slowly_

Most of the circus company had gathered around one small television set to hear the Report, a Friday night tradition. On Fridays, they did an afternoon show that would be done before the Report came on at eight, so the audience would be able to return home and watch it, and then after the Report they did a late show at ten. Monsieur Favreau, the ringmaster, complained often about the Report interfering with his circus's schedule. Then again, he complains about everything.

After the program finished, most of the circus members dispersed to warm up and prepare for the show, murmuring about the big announcement that the Prince had made. But one teenage girl sat frozen in place.

This was it. This was her chance. Lucilia Milour, aerialist***** for Le Cirque de la Lune, had been in love with Prince Alexandre since she was old enough to know what a princess was, and that she wanted to be one. It may seem childish, but her dream of being a princess had been a part of her for as long as she could remember. And the princess always gets the prince.

She may have let out a small scream when the Prince had made the announcement.

"Lucy, Mom told me to tell you that you need to get ready for the show now. When you are done, she wants to see you in her dressing room." Lucy's little sister Elinor had her chest puffed out, presenting her message with all the grown-up-ness a ten year old could muster.

"Hm?" Lucy muttered, realizing she had been daydreaming again. "Oh, right. Thanks Ellie!" Not even her annoying little sister could put her in a bad mood today. Even though she was still dressed in her leotard and leggings from the earlier show, she needed to retouch her makeup, so she ran to her small personal dressing room. Well, more like tiny. But it was all hers, and she was proud of it. Having her own solo act has to have some perks, right? Normally, when the circus was on the move, everyone got ready in one big tent. But when the circus stopped in large cities, they often used more permanent venues for a few days. This one had private dressing rooms.

Lucy sat down at the vanity and rummaged through her makeup for mascara. Lucy hated wearing so much makeup, but she was pale and had to wear a lot so that she didn't look washed out in the stage lights. Looking into the mirror, she frowned at the black leotard she had been wearing for the afternoon show. It was her most comfortable one… but too plain for her current mood. She turned to the other costumes that were hanging on a rack behind her. She knew instantly that tonight was a night for her favorite costume: short sparkling blue chiffon skirt that faded to ice white at the top, with a sweetheart neckline and long, sheer sleeves. There was something enchanting about the way the white sparkled against her midnight blue silks. She changed quickly, hoping that her mother, as well as Mr. Favreau, wouldn't mind the change. There weren't any group aerial routines scheduled for today, and they usually didn't care what she wore for her solo.

After fixing her long chocolate brown hair into a neat bun and finishing her makeup, Lucy knocked on the door of her mother's dressing room. After a moment, the door swung open.

"Lucilia! Isn't it great news? You could be a princess!" Sonia Milour exclaimed, pulling Lucy into a hug. "Wait, you are going to apply, right?"

"No, I think I'll just stay here and miss my one chance to become a princess. _Of course _I'm going to enter, mom, or my name is not Lucilia Florence Milour!"

"Just making sure. Favreau won't be happy about losing his best aerialist… But it's for the best. Why did you change? I thought you were wearing your black leotard earlier."

Just what Lucy had been worried about. "Well, I wanted to wear this one, to celebrate the announcement of the Selection. It's my favorite."

"It makes you look even more pale, darling. And I always worry about that little skirt getting caught in the silks."

"It'll be fine, I wear it all the time. Plus, it looks great with the blue silks! Please?"

Sonia pursed her lips. "If you insist. Just be careful. And you'd better go tell the stage hand to switch the white silks from earlier to the blue ones."

"Oh, right. Thanks!"

* * *

><p>Le Cirque de la Lune was a small circus, with only about forty members. However, it was renowned for having some of the the best performers around. Today, they had stopped in Belleville, the capital of Lucy's home province, Belcourt. Their audience was relatively large, even for a Friday night.<p>

The acts flowed seamlessly from one to the next, while Monsieur Favreau guided the audience on "a journey like no other," or so he said. He announced acrobats and contortionists, knife throwers and animal tamers, clowns and tight-rope walkers.

Lucilia stood in the small backstage area with her adoptive brother, Morstan. He was about to go out for his fire dancing routine, but he seemed a bit off.

"Are you alright, Mor?" Lucy asked with concern.

"I'm fine," He replied. Lucy nodded, not quite believing him. Morstan was usually upbeat and funny. Lucy sometimes wondered why he hadn't decided to be a clown.

"Lucy…" he started, "are you really going to enter the Selection?"

Lucy was taken aback. "Of course. I've always wanted to. You know that!"

"It's just… I mean, if you did get chosen, you would be a three. And then of you got eliminated… Or even if you won… Well, you wouldn't be able to be in the circus anymore. You couldn't be an aerialist."

In all of her years of daydreaming about Prince Alexandre and the Selection, she'd never thought of it that way. It had always been about if she won, if she became the princess. "I- I don't know. But… the circus is a part of me, Mor. I'll always have that."

He looked like he wanted to respond, but just then it was his cue to go on. Their mom was a the animal trainer, and her last trick was to have the lion jump through a flaming hoop. Morstan and his partner, Asher, would then light their poi****** with the fire from the burning hoop. Lucy smiled as she watched the two of them spin and twirl the poi in mesmerizing patterns, sparks flying. It was magical.

There weren't any magicians in the circus, because for obvious reasons it would have been seen as bad taste. But Lucy was fascinated by magic. No long after her family had first joined le Cirque de la Lune, her father had introduced a beautiful woman, with long blonde hair. Four-year old Lucy watched in fascination as the woman climbed fabric with exquisite grace, and that was when Lucy decided she wanted to be an aerialist. She trained hard until she was even better than the woman, and then the woman left and Lucy started doing solos.

But when she turned fifteen, the woman had returned once more. She had been amazing that night, as she made things disappear with a flash, then reappear in the blink of an eye. She laughed as she turned books into paper birds, and made the fire change colors. Lucy had watched in awe, but everyone around her was yelling, shouting "Stop her!" yet not getting to close to the dangerous 'freak.' Then the police came, and they took the woman away. She didn't even fight. It was her big Finale, and Lucy had never been able to figure out why she had given herself away that night.

Later, Lucy's father explained to her that magic was a dangerous force, and that the King didn't want anyone to get hurt. That's why the woman had been taken away. Lucy refused to believe that, and she told her father that it wasn't true, because Prince Alexandre was magic himself. He had just laughed and said that she was so in love with the Prince, maybe she ought to marry him. She couldn't sleep last night, so she just lay there thinking about princesses, the Selection, and most of all, magic.

Her enormous crush on the Prince wasn't the only reason she planned to apply. She had one reason that she knew Morstan would never understand: she needed answers. And this just might be her best chance to get them.

Lucy continued to think about magic as Morstan finished his act, and then it was Lucy's turn to walk out on stage. She stood in the center of the circus ring as Morstan and Asher lit a circle on the ground. For a moment, it flamed up around her, but the fire died down by the time the fire dancers had exited the stage and Lucy's silks had lowered from the ceiling. In place of the ring of fire, there was a full moon projected on the ground beneath her feet.

There wasn't a full orchestra in le Cirque de la Lune, instead, just a single violin, a harp, and some drums. The music from the harp and drums fell away as Lucy grabbed the midnight silk in her fists and began to effortlessly climb up the fabric. The violin's melody rang out soft but clear, the violin solo from Rimsky-Korsakov's _Scheherazade._ Lucy maneuvered the silks with grace and beauty, and she realized then why she loved the aerial silks so much. It wasn't the adrenaline of being up so high, or the pride of knowing she was good at it. She loved being an aerialist because it made _her _feel magical.

*An aerialist is just and acrobat who performs in the air, on apparatus like aerial silks, trapeze, lyra (hoop), etc.

**Poi is a type of fire dancing tool that has a lit ball of fire on a chain. Sometimes, steel wool is used to give a sparkling effect.

**A/N: Meet Lucy, _parade_'s wonderful character! She was so much fun to write for, and I think I have now seen every aerial silks video on the planet…. Y'all should definitely look it up, it's fascinating.**

** Well, sorry I took my sweet time with this chapter. School is a thing, so…. yeah. In the meantime, though, our numbers grew to TWELVE! Look on my bio for the list, but shoutout to _shadeslayerprincess111, zanzibaby, Perksofbeingminho, Nicoleali2118, E1230, _and a guest for submitting. And even bigger shoutout to _mnbvcxz-xx _and_ 4Love4Love4, _who have each submitted ****two**** characters! :D**

** I still need at least eight more characters, but my goal is twenty-five. Check out my bio to see all of the names, castes, and occupations of the girls I have so far, to make sure that we're keeping the variation. I could use a few more mean characters, but really, all of the girls I've gotten so far have been awesome and unique, so just keep up the good work! **

** Thanks for all of your amazing feedback! I couldn't ask for better readers & reviewers. Virtual chocolate, hugs, and high fives for all of you! o/ \o (get it, cause it looks like a high five? xD)**


	4. Chapter 4: I'm Choosing Me

_Chapter 4: I'm Choosing Me_

The timer went off on the oven, and Elena pulled out a shepherd's pie. After setting it carefully on the small kitchen table, she went over to the Dutch door that led to the courtyard where her father was milking one of the cows.

"Papa, dinner's ready! It's your favorite," she called.

"I knew I smelled your famous shepherd's pie!" He paused to wipe the sweat off his brow. "I'll be right there."

Elena took off her apron and went back to staring at the white envelope that was sitting on the counter in front of her. She sighed. Papa wouldn't be happy about this, and yesterday she wouldn't have even considered the idea… but as soon as she had seen the expensive envelope in the mailbox, she somehow knew that she could do this. She _had _to do this.

"This door could really use some oiling," her father said as he opened the squeaky old thing. Elena shoved the envelope underneath the apron so he wouldn't see, before whirling around with a smile. The smile was probably a little too big and the whirling around a little too fast to be "acting natural," but hey, it's the best she could do under pressure. To be honest, she was terrified to break the news to him.

"I was thinking of going into town tomorrow anyway, maybe I can pick some up." She threw a golden blonde pigtail behind her shoulder and threw on her best impression of her 10-year-old _I'm-your-innocent-little-baby-girl-please-don't-get-mad-at-me _face.

"Oh, why are you going to town?"

"Tell ya later, but for now, shepherd's pie!"

"Good point," he said, moving over to sit at the table.

See, the innocent act, the shepherd's pie, it was all part of her plan. Operation Please Let Me Join the Selection. It wasn't that she was manipulative, exactly, just that she really needed tonight to go well. So, his favorite meal and looking like his little angel it was.

They ate in silence for a few minutes, before he finally looked up, a dreamy look in his eyes.

"Excellent as always, my dear. Just like your mother used to make it."

"Thanks." _YES!_

"You look more like her every day," he mused.

"And you tell me that every day," she laughed.

"Because it's true!"

They went back to eating for a few more minutes, before, "So, what's this about going to Lacombe tomorrow?"

"Oh, um, I need to stop by the store, and perhaps the post office."

"The post office? Won't it be crowded by all those girls applying for the Selection? And what do you need to go there for anyway?"

This is it. She'd been thinking about this moment all day, and yet she still didn't know what to say. Should she sugar coat it, or give him the harsh truth?

"Yes, well, I want to apply," she blurted. Oh great. Red alert!

"You _what?_" he said in a low voice, a little too calmly. So much for 'little angel.'

"I would like to apply for the Selection," she said slowly, matching his calm.

"Elena Andromeda Gwydion, that is the most preposterous idea I have ever heard. People like us can't just waltz into the palace! You wouldn't last a day without getting caught! We live here because it's safe here. And if you have magic, and you live in a safe village with other people who have magic, what on this earth would make you think that going to the _palace_, where the _King_ lives, a king who _hunts _people like us, is even remotely a good idea!? They would kill you in a heartbeat if they knew what you are! You had better tell me right now where you got this ridiculous notion, and you had better choose your words carefully, Elle!"

Elena sat quietly, letting his word bombard her. Yup, this was definitely not according to plan. A plan which she knew would never have worked in the first place. The meal now lay forgotten on the table. She stood up and walked over to the counter where the envelope lay. Turning back around, the envelope gripped firmly in her fists, she looked her father straight in the eyes. He had to understand that she wouldn't back down so easily.

"I just think that I have a unique opportunity to doing something good for once. The royal family is blinded by hatred, but if I can just show them, make them see that we're not all bad people…"

"Elle, listen—"

"No, you listen. Don't you see? Who else has that chance? I'm tired of hiding here, of being hated for who I am. If I do this, maybe one day people will come to see magic as a force for good!"

"It's _foolish_ and _dangerous_! I won't let you throw your life away like that!" he yelled.

"Sometimes you've got to do what you think is right, and damn the consequences! And I'm glad to see that you have such high esteem for my abilities!"

She could tell that those words had stung. His gaze darkened and he turned away, saying softly, "That's what your mother said. And now she's gone. I can't lose you, too, Elle."

"Well at least she did something with her life! She didn't just sit here and watch while our people were being persecuted. And neither is Cayden! He's out there, fighting with the Triskel just like Mom!"

"I do not approve of what your brother is doing! Magic should be used for good, not as a weapon for battle. The Triskel is no better than the Deaþscúan* in that respect!" he spat.

"I never said that I agree with what they are doing either, Papa, but the Selection is an opportunity for me to take a different approach! I can help our people, and do it peacefully!"

"How is getting yourself killed _peaceful_?"

"I'm not going to get myself killed! It's my decision, Papa, please, just at least let me present the idea to the village counsel tomorrow?"

He was silent for a moment. "This conversation isn't over," he muttered as he stormed out of the room.

Well, that went well.

*Deaþscúan: pronounced 'death-scoo-an,' an Old English word for "the shadow of death."

**A/N: So that's my character Elena! We'll get to hear from her a bit more soon, but for now, I wanted to get this chapter up. What do you guys think? **

**We're also gradually learning more about the rebels and magic. What's the Deaþscúan? What's the Triskel? Well, that's for me to know, and you to find out… Mwahaha :)**

**I want to thank ****_shadeslayerprincess111 _****and ****_Nicoleali2118_****, who each submitted a second character! That makes 14, plus a few more that I've been told will be submitted soon. Awesome! Also, I have yet to thank ****_4Love4Love4_****, ****_E1230_****, ****_Nicoleali2118_****, ****_theYAfangirl17_**** for following, ****_ladybug51010_****, ****_parade_****, and ****_shadeslayerprincess111_**** for favoriting, and ****_Missharibos_****, ****_Perksofbeingminho_****, and ****_zanzibaby_**** for doing both! Hugs and chocolate! Merci beaucoup!**

**Oh, and I forgot to put a disclaimer on the last few chapters. So, Disclaimer: All rights for the Selection go to the fabulous Kiera Cass. Oh, and I slipped in a few quotes from Merlin in this chapter xD**


	5. Chapter 5: Some Kind of Scar

**A/N: Hello again… sorry for the wait! I'm in the middle of a nice pile of Midterms (Which in college is actually just a test. Except worth, like, at least ten percent of your grade.) Anyway, this chapter is a bit longer (like twice as long), and part of it is a little darker, but I felt that this character's backstory is important and adds a lot to the story… so enjoy!**

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><p><em>Chapter 5: Some Kind of Scar<em>

Vie hummed as she slid open the glass door to the manor's spotless patio, then crossed over to one of the poolside lounge chairs. Stretching out in the warm Angeles sun, she smiled contentedly. Sunscreen, check. Sunglasses, check. Exotic fruity drink, check. She was ready for a nice afternoon of relaxing in the summery air and completely ignoring the world around her.

She picked up the celebrity magazine that she'd brought out with her. Normally, she didn't really care about this sort of stuff, but Jaz, her BFF, had called earlier, gushing that "Genevieve's Story: the New Star and Her Tragic Scar" was on page twenty seven of _BuzzChique_. Being a lesser-known pop artist, she didn't usually receive much attention from the paparazzi. Vie had feigned detached interest, but as soon as the call had disconnected she had requested a copy of the popular tabloid from one of the maids. She tried not to care about what others think of her, but it was in her nature to always want to make others happy.

She smiled at the magazine's cover, a gorgeous pic of number one hot commodity, Prince Alexandre. It had been four days since the big announcement, but the Selection wouldn't stop being on top of the news until its completion. Vie was getting impatient that her letter hadn't arrived yet. She lived half an hour from the palace, yet it takes four days for a letter to get here? Seriously, get it together!

Flipping to page twenty seven, she examined the photo of her on stage at a recent concert, then began to peruse the article.

_Meet Genevieve Carlton, lead singer of her up-and-coming new band, Veni Vidi Vici. Her stage presence is upbeat and electrifying, but with a little research, _BuzzChique _reporters found that there is more behind this pretty face. "Vie" is the daughter of golf star Ben Carlton. Her brother Harry plays golf with his father, while Michael Carlton is a familiar face on various sitcoms. What about her mother, you ask? Gia Carlton…_

Vie flinched. She should've known that it would be about this. She skimmed the rest of the article, then tossed the magazine aside with a sigh. She didn't really want to think about this right now. Taking a breath and a sip from her Mango Medley, she thrust the bad memory out of her mind. She glanced back at the magazine and decided to read the article about the Prince as a distraction.

It didn't really have any new insights for her, just rehashing what she had heard in a billion other magazines and on the news. Still, she read it over a few times, trying to commit to memory his favorite color, hobbies, book, yada yada yada. Apparently his favorite scents are plum and lily. Then she skimmed over a few of the other articles, but nothing caught her interest, and pretty soon she had dozed off, the magazine oh-so-glamourously lying right on top of her face.

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><p>In her dream, Vie saw herself as a little girl again, curled up on her bed with her mom right next to her, reading her stories out of a humongous book. Well, it had seemed huge to her 6-year-old self. She had loved looking at the pretty little pictures of princesses and the princes who came to save them, while her mother's soft, gentle voice lulled her to sleep.<p>

Tonight was one of her favorite stories, Faithful John. It was about a young King who saw a portrait of a beautiful woman and instantly fell in love with her, and asked his servant Faithful John to help him win her over.

_"The first words the King said were, 'Ah, the beautiful portrait! whose it it?'" _Her mother read._"'That is the princess of the Golden Dwelling,' answered Faithful John. Then the King continued, 'My love for her is so great, that if all the leaves on all the trees were tongues, they could not declare it. I will give my life to win her. Thou art my most Faithful John, thou must help me.'"_

_"_Mommy," Vie interrupted. "When I get Selected, and the Prince sees me, do you think he'll fall in love with me too?"

"Of course, my little princess! And he will sail all the way to the Golden Dwelling _just for you!_" Gia poked her in the stomach on each of the last three words.

Little Vie giggled, swatting away her mother's pokes. "Silly Mama, I don't live in the Golden Dwelling!"

"Nonsense. You are my little Golden Princess and the prince won't even know what hit him. But for now, I do believe I was trying to tell you a story!"

Vie yawned, and by the time the prince had arrived at the Golden Dwelling, she was fast asleep. Her mother quietly kissed her forehead, put the book on the nightstand, and crept out of the bedroom.

Dream Vie followed her mother out of the door, but instead of finding a hallway, they were on a street in downtown Angeles. Gia was laughing and hugging a seventeen year old girl, and Ben, Vie's father, was smiling as he walked next to them.

Her seventeenth birthday. Well, actually, about a month after it, but Vie had been on her first tour during her birthday and her dad had been at a golf tournament. When they finally got the chance to celebrate, Vie had requested a fancy dinner, just her and her parents, no brothers, at Palace Vista, a fancy restaurant downtown.

She knew this memory well, and she knew that it wouldn't end well. It had replayed itself in her mind, awake or asleep many times. She numbly followed the happy trio as they walked down the street towards the place where they were to meet the driver. Any moment now…

3…

2…

1…

The street exploded into screams and blazing black light. That was the best way to describe it - like a camera flash, only it flashed black. Terrified citizens ran for cover as a group of men in long dark cloaks marched down the street. Some of them were laughing insanely while others chanted words in an unrecognizable language:

_"Deaþscúa áfæreþ oþ náhte ábídeende. Deaþscúa á forestendeeþ."_

Darkness and destruction followed them in their wake, growing until it penetrated into Vie herself.

_Miss Genevieve… Miss…_

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><p>Vie started, gasping at the nightmare. She gingerly removed the magazine that covered her face, and looked up at Sariah, one of the maids.<p>

"Miss Genevieve… so sorry to bother you.." The poor girl looked terrified, probably because Vie had a murderous expression on her face. Realizing that she was scaring Sariah, Vie softened her gaze. She wasn't mad at her, just that awful dream. There goes her relaxing afternoon.

"No, it's all right. I must have… dozed off. What did you need?"

Sariah smiled. "It's here, ma'am! Your letter! You told me to tell you the second it arrived!"

Throwing the magazine aside, and all but forgetting the dream, Vie leaped up and followed Sariah back into the house. The family's other three maids, Kara, Ruthie, and Lanie, were crowded around the head butler, who was holding a pristine white envelope. Vie squealed as she took the letter, the other girls all giggling.

"Well, open it miss! What does it say?" Ruthie urged.

After staring at its perfection for a moment, Vie carefully opened it, relishing in the expensive white paper. She brushed her fingers over the royal seal at the top of the page, before reading out the invitation.

"To Miss Genevieve Carlton," she said in her most dramatic voice, "It is with great pride that King Tristan and Queen Cassia announce the nineteenth anniversary of the birth of the Crown Prince Alexandre." While other girls might have skipped the introduction and just started filling out the application, Vie was savoring every word. This was official. This was real. "In accordance with the traditions of Illéa," she continued, "the royal family will host a Selection, so that the Prince may find a suitable wive among the blessed daughters of Illéa. One girl from each province will be Selected to compete. Participation in the lottery is not mandatory, and it is up to each eligible young woman to complete the attached application and return it to the nearest Province Services Office, where a photograph of the applicant will be taken. Dishonesty in applications is strictly prohibited. Best of Luck, Sincerely, the Royal Family."

Vie sighed contentedly. Ever since she was a little girl, she had daydreamed with her mom about joining the Selection and becoming the princess. Now, she just wished that Mom could see that it was actually happening.

"I'm going to go fill it out," she told the others, before rushing up the wide sweeping marble staircase, down the hallway, and into her room.

Sitting down heavily at her desk, she finally let herself think about the nightmare. It wasn't anything new; she thought about that night all too often.

One of the worst rebel attacks _ever, _and Gia Carlton hadn't survived. _BuzzChique _was spot on, alright, Vie had a scar - the memory of that night forever imprinted in her mind. She kept trying to move on, it had been over a year ago, but she also kept blaming herself. If she hadn't asked to go to that restaurant, if she had picked another place or another night… maybe her mother would be here with her as she entered the Selection.

She moved over to her small bookshelf, where her most prized possession, her mother's copy of this really old book called _Grimm's Fairy Tales_, had the spotlight. Brushing the dust off the cover, she curled up on her bed, just like she used to as a little girl. She smiled as she ran her finger down the table of contents. Number six, "Faithful John" - her room was still decorated with gold accents everywhere, as it had been since she was six. Probably her favorite title of them all was number four, "The Story of a Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was." Number sixty was "The Two Brothers," complete with dragons and knights and damsels in distress. And twenty-one, "Cinderella" had always reminded her of the Selection. Eligible young women being invited to a grand festival, the prince falling in love with one of them… Suddenly, Vie realized that she was crying.

_No. I'm not doing this. This is supposed to be the day I finally get to enter the Selection!_

She dried her tears before moving back to the desk, picking up her favorite pen, and filling out the application.

_This is for you Mom. I miss you._

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><p><strong>AN: Sooo…? Whadya think? Genevieve is a lovely character by ****_mnbvcxz-xx_****. Not all magic is good in this world…**

**While I'm sure y'all are all anxious for me to get to your character, please be patient! There will only be a few more intro chapters like this that focus on just one character's background. There are just some backstories that I feel are important to highlight before I really kick things off, plus it does stall for time until I have all of the characters I want ;) Don't feel bad if your character isn't in one of these chapters - it probably just means that I have plans for her to come up a bit later! **

**Speaking of stalling for time, there's not much longer to wait - last I checked, we have nineteen characters! Thank you so much if you submitted/submitted again - I'll do shootouts next chapter but it's really late and I want to get this chapter up. But big thank you to all of my followers, favorites, submitters, and reviewers! Y'all make my day! (Me? Obsessively check my email for PMs and reviews? Nahhh…. ;D )**

**Head over to my bio - I'm working on posting face claims for all of the girls. The royals also have pics - including our gorgeous hot commodity ;) Please please tell me if I didn't get the face claim for your girl right, and I'll change it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the Selection, nor any of the Grimm's Fairy Tales that were an inspiration for this chapter. Also, has anyone noticed anything special about my chapter titles? ;) **


	6. Chapter 6: I'm Choosing Me, Part 2

**A/N: Hehe….um…hi there…**

***majestic ducks head in shame as she looks at the last time she updated***

** I'm sooooooo sorry, it's been over a month! I promise I haven't given up on this story, I just had to set it aside for a while and focus on school. Plus, writer's block doesn't help.**

** At least this chapter is really long! Over two and a half thousand words! I hope it's not too boring, because I was lazy to even introduce a new character, it's just another one about my character. Sorry 'bout that. (well, only a little bit, this was the next chapter I had planned anyways. it's kinda important for the future plot, and i'm trying to go in chronological order. hope you don't mind too much) I promise to introduce a new character next chapter, maybe two!**

** Well, without further ado, I'd like to thank Rick Riordan for ruining my life, Christina Perri for singing 'Burning Gold,' which is basically Elena's theme song, and as always, Queen Kiera for writing the Selection. Which I don't own, in case for some crazy reason you thought I did.**

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><p><em>Chapter 6: I'm Choosing Me, part 2<em>

By all appearances, Carseld was just another small farming village in rural Calgary. The majority of the population were Fours, and they all worked together to tend the land surrounding the small conglomeration of houses. The fields were full of barley, wheat, oats and the like, which the townspeople sold in nearby towns. Most families also had their own livestock and vegetable gardens. They seemed to do just as well as any farming village could, what with the harsh winters of Calgary. But if one paid close enough attention, they might notice that Carseld's crop usually did ever so slightly better than that of the neighboring villages.

Their secret ingredient? Magic. Under the surface, the village of Carseld was a safe haven for magic users who just wanted to have normal lives. Or any life at all, for that matter. And if they could use magic to help their crop do a little better, why not?

Their unity went beyond living in a tiny village together, and beyond sweating over acres of land together. When you know that the government would kill you in an instant, it's comforting to live with one hundred and ninety nine other people in the same situation. That doesn't mean that you always have to agree with each other though. So, for a town of two hundred Fours, the politics were impressive. Each week, they held a village council, where anyone was allowed to bring up any issue.

Elena paced, trying to calm herself down. The council was in half an hour, and it was probably her last hope at convincing her father to let her apply for the Selection. Last night, her strategy had been to look innocent and sweet, but that had failed spectacularly. Tonight, she was going for responsible and mature. The culture she had grown up in respected age and wisdom, and sometimes that meant that the few teenagers in the village were overlooked. She couldn't even think of a time when one of them had spoken up at a council.

In other words, this was not going to be easy.

She wasn't even sure why she was so adamant about entering, but if it meant a chance to do something with her life, she wasn't going to go down without a fight.

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><p>"Thank you for your comments, Mattias, I am sure that someone will be able to help you fix your plow soon," one of the town elders, Jeshau, said as Mattias took his seat by his wife and two kids. Lanci, one of the only other teenage girls in Carseld, had on her usual bored expression.<p>

"Are there any other concerns this evening?" Jeshau continued. Elena raised her hand for the umpteenth time, but was once again ignored. "Well, if that is all, I think we can adj—"

"I have something to say," Elena said loudly, standing up. She'd _had _it with being ignored, so she ignored the people gasping that she'd not only spoken, but interrupted Jeshau. Most of all, she ignored her father's tired and slightly embarrassed sigh.

There was an awkward silence as Jeshau appraised her with a glare. "Ah… very well… Miss Gwydion, is it? You wish to speak?"

"Yes," she replied curtly, coming up to the front of the crowd.

The townspeople met in the town square, sitting on the cobbled ground or chairs that they had brought from the nearby homes. They all faced the three town elders, Jeshau, Amos, and Jebbediah, who were sitting to one side of a large oak tree.

Elena took her place to the left of the tree, straightened her plain green top, and took a deep breath.

"Thank you sir. My name is Elena, I'm Richmond Gwydion's daughter." _Confidence, confidence, confidence! _She forced herself to stand up straighter. "As many of you know, last week, the royal family announced the upcoming Selection. The competition is open to any eligible young girl from the ages of sixteen to twenty. I- I, uh, recently turned eighteen, so I am eligible, and, I- I would like to enter." Elena cursed herself for stuttering, but there, she'd said it.

The crowd broke into whispers, the majority either frowning or looking at her curiously.

"Okay… and you bring this to the village council because…?" Jebbediah said.

"Well, my father disagrees with my decision, and I recognize that someone… of our kind entering this competition could be a bit of a risk." A few people nodded, a few others glanced over at her father to see his reaction to his daughter being so bold. "However, I think that this is a unique opportunity that only I…" Elena glanced at Lanci, who was giving her a death glare, "I mean, a girl my age could take."

"I see," said Jeshau. "Would anyone like to respond to Miss Gwydion's… proposition?"

"It's too dangerous!"

"That's a ridiculous idea!"

"She'll get herself killed!"

"She'll get us _all _killed!"

The shouts came from throughout the group, and Elena couldn't help but notice the _I-told-you-so _look on her father's face.

Elena cleared her throat. "As I said, I understand the risk, but I assure you that I am responsible enough to handle it."

"What exactly do you hope to accomplish by traipsing into the capital?" Mattias called.

"I believe that if I can get close to the Prince, I can eventually help him to understand that magic is not an evil or something to be afraid of. The royal family is blinded by their hatred and fear of magic, but this competition would be a unique and _peaceful _chance at change."

"I think it is a fantastic idea." Everyone turned in surprise at the voice from the back.

Emryon James. Perhaps the only young person in the town that was highly respected. Well, either respected or despised, it depended on who you talked to. Despite being only twenty-one, he spoke fairly often at town councils. He was respected/despised because of his years with the Triskel. He had joined the Triskel at sixteen and done some heroic things, and had quickly risen to the top of their ranks. Recently, he had returned to Carseld, to take a bit of a break and enlist new members.

The Triskel was probably the most controversial issue in town. There were pretty much three types of sorcerers: the dark sorcerers of the Deaþscúan, peaceful magic users like the people of Carseld, and members of the Triskel. They were somewhere in between. The Triskel had formed around the time that Elena was born, when some light sorcerers had taken it upon themselves to fight back against the Deaþscúan, who attacked peaceful magic users as much as the government and civilians. About half of the second type of magician supported their cause, while the other half, which included Elena's father, thought that magic should not be used for any kind of fighting, and therefore the Triskel was no better than the Deaþscúan. That was the dynamic of Carseld: you were either an avid supporter of the Triskel, or were very vocally against it. Or, you were Elena, and you weren't quite sure how you felt.

As Emryon moved towards the front of the group, Elena had the strange thought that, if not for the Selection, perhaps she would have ended up married to Emryon. Except, her father would sooner break his vows of peaceful magic use, and kill Emryon, than let _that _happen. But hey, she had to admit that he was, well, kinda hot. They were close in age, and her brother Cayden had been best friends with Emryon when they were younger. So, at least he knew she existed.

"Miss Gwydion is right. This is a unique opportunity that only a young woman like her could take advantage of. I'm sure that any daughter of Vivienne Gwydion is highly capable." Elena flinched at the mention of her mother. It was true though. To supporters of the Triskel, her mother would be seen as a hero. "And besides, there will be so many applicants, that there is a very small chance she will even be chosen, so why not?" His words came like silk and about half of the crowd murmured their appeased assent. "The Triskel would be happy to support Miss Gwydion in her endeavor."

Elena considered. On the bright side, Emryon voicing his support should win over a little over half of the crowd. However, it would only make her father more upset. "Um, thank you. Your support is much appreciated."

Her father stood suddenly. "Elena is my daughter and I will _not _allow her to put herself _and _our village in danger to fulfill your selfish ideals!"

Emryon turned to Richmond and pulled himself up a little taller. "If I recall, Mr. Gwydion, it is ultimately the young woman's decision whether or not she will apply. Especially since she is eighteen now and legally no longer a minor."

"In this case that does not matter! Her choice will affect our entire community, and one mistake on her part could reveal us all!"

"Are you saying that you do not believe in your daughter's abilities?"

"That's not—"

"Or perhaps you are saying that you have not properly taught her how to control her magic?"

"All I'm saying—"

"Enough!" Elena shouted.

All of a sudden the glass on one of the street lamps shattered. Too late, Elena recognized the familiar warmth that spread through her, ending with a heat behind her eyes. In her nerves and frustration, she had momentarily lost control of her magic, and the broken lamp was her fault. Surely, everyone must know, they must have seen the golden light in her eyes that was evidence of magic.

The crowd was silenced in shock. ..._A__t least I got their attention? _Elena thought.

Behind her, Amos cleared his throat and stood up slowly. He glanced over at the broken lamp, muttered something, and it fixed itself.

"Thank you for your comments, Miss Gwydion, and you as well Mr. James. And Richmond, in all technicality, Mr. James is correct in that it is Miss Gwydion's decision, according to the rules of the competition. Now, it is time that we are all getting back to our dinners. The council is adjourned."

Slowly, everyone came out of their momentary shock at the abrupt end to the council, and they began to stand up and their things. Elena and her father walked over to their horses, which they had ridden to the council since they lived farther away from the town square. Elena tried to ignore the cold tension coming from her father, and the muted whispers of the village around her.

Elena felt someone tap, or rather, _jab _her in the shoulder. She turned to find Lanci standing arms-crossed, with a haughty glare.

"Um, hi Lanci… can I help you?"

"Look at you, little miss I'm-going-to-save-the-country-and-bring-back-magic." Lanci said mockingly. Elena just rolled her eyes. Lanci was the least of her worries.

"Yup, that's pretty much the plan." She tried to turn away, but Lanci grabbed her arm.

"Do you _honestly _think that I don't see what you're trying to do?"

"I though I was pretty clear about what I'm doing. I'm entering the Selection. And it's not your business."

"For all your talk about a grand opportunity and what not, you're not trying to win over the prince. You want _Emryon. _Well give it up, Elena. He. Is. Mine."

Elena feigned a hurt expression. "I.. I'm sorry Lanci. You're right. I was just trying to win over the guy that my dad would _kill _if he tried to marry me," she said sarcastically. "Now, if you would excuse me…"

"Oh hello, Emryon!" Lanci exclaimed, going from icy to sugary-sweet in an instant when she saw Emryon approach.

"Oh. Hi Lanci." Emryon barely glanced at her. "Elena, could I speak to you for a moment?"

Lanci stormed off angrily. Elena looked over at her father, who appeared to have been caught up in a conversation with one of his friends, and hadn't seen Emryon approach.

"Uh, sure," she told Emryon.

"Don't worry about him," he said with a charming smile.

"What?"

"I said don't worry about your father. He'll get over Cayden, he'll get over you. You need to do what you think is right."

Elena blushed. "Um, thanks, I guess."

"Anyway, that's not what I wanted to tell you."

"It's not?"

He leaned in, so that they wouldn't be overheard. "No. See, what I said about it being a small chance that you will be chosen? That was sort of a lie. We - the Triskel, I mean - have someone undercover in the palace, and I think he is high up enough that we could rig it so that you will be chosen. If you are serious about this, that is."

"Yes, I'm serious, and really?"

"Good. Hold out your hand. Left."

"Wait, what?"

"Just do it," he said, glancing over to make sure that Richmond hadn't seen them. She held out her hand tentatively.

"I'm going to give you the Mark of the Triskel," he said softly. "Only others who also have the Mark will be able to see yours, and you will be able to see the Mark on others. That way, you will know who you can trust when you get to Angeles."

"Okay," came her lame response. He pushed back her sleeve and placed his hand over the inside over her wrist. He whispered a spell, and his eyes glowed gold. Her wrist burned painfully for a moment, and she winced. When he pulled back his hand, there were three black spirals, connected at the base, branded onto her skin. A triskelion.

"I have to go now, but I'll be in touch. Oh, and don't tell anyone about what we talked about, it's important that we protect our guy at the palace. Good luck. I can see that you have the potential to be a powerful enchantress, like your mother. The Triskel believes in you." And with that, he left. As he walked away, she noticed that she could see a matching triskelion emblazoned on his wrist.

A minute later, her father finished his conversation. They mounted their horses in silence, and neither spoke until they were almost to the edge of the village, and their home.

It was Richmond who broke the silence. "I didn't think you would actually do it. Speak up, I mean," he said gruffly. "I don't like you're decision, but you are a mature young woman. And a stubborn one. I doubt I can change your mind, no matter what I do. You're too much like your mother that way."

Elena didn't say anything, just nodded. It wasn't permission, exactly, but it was enough. She traced the supposedly invisible mark on her wrist, and tried to come to terms with everything that had just happened.

She'd won.

_The Triskel believes in you, _Emryon had said. Question was, did she want them to?

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><p><strong>AN: **

** Probably not my best work, but I wanted to give a bit more background about magic - what it looks like (eyes glowing gold, inspired by Merlin yet again. the triskelion mark is also from Merlin. y'all should really watch that show. just sayin'.), what Elena's hometown is like, and what the Triskel is. **

** I have an announcement! I have decided, with 25 wonderful characters, to close the submissions! I'm not ready yet to do the announcement chapter though, I have one more intro chapter planned, and then I will announce the Selected. I guess if someone is just _dying _to submit a character, I will accept it until then, but I'm happy with what I've got.**

**On my profile there is a link to a polyvore collection where I will be posting the outfits worn by the characters in each chapter! Go check out Lucy, Vie, and Elena's outifts!**

** I've noticed that of the four characters we've met so far - Alec, Lucy, Elena, and Vie - three of them have lost their mothers. That's kinda sad. I promise, not all of the characters are like that! It was a mere coincidence that I introduced three out of the four characters like that (that I know of) right off. **

** Oh, one more announcement! I have a little competition for y'all. (Maybe to help you forgive me for the wait xD ?) I've noticed that a lot of Selection SYOC authors do a competition for who will get the first date. Well here's mine: I don't know if you've noticed, but all of my chapter titles are quotes from the original books. (at least, I'm going to try to keep that going as long as I can. it's hard.) Soooo, whoever can come up with the best chapter title for your character's first date, that character will have the first date! Rules: It must be taken from the original books or novellas, and it must relate to what you want to happen on the date. I will choose whichever one I like the best! I suggest you PM me, so that you can briefly explain why you chose that title. Good luck!**

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, favorited, and submitted! I would thank you all individually, but this A/N is already absurdly long. xD**

**~majestic**


	7. Chapter 7: Bravery Hides

**I've been promising ****_4Love4Love4_**** this chapter for weeks, so finally, here you go, hon! She requested the title for this chapter. Hope you like Marissa!**

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><p><em>Chapter 6: Bravery Hides in Amazing Places <em>

Marissa Everette glanced up from her book when she heard a knock on her bedroom door.

"Come in," she called from her place on the window seat.

A maid opened the door and held out a cordless phone. "Miss Amelia called, ma'am, and she asked for you."

"Oh, thanks," Marissa said as she went over and took the phone.

"Hello?" she said into the microphone.

"WHY HAVEN'T YOU BEEN ANSWERING YOU CELL?"

"Hi, Lia."

"Rules of being a best friend: 1. YOU ANSWER YOUR PHONE. Especially when you live halfway across the country!" Amelia Semmer half yelled.

"I was reading!" Marissa complained.

"I called you three times. _Yesterday. _And like five times today!"

"…It was a long book?"

"Ugghhhhh. Whatever."

"You should know by now that Marissa Everette, official best friend of famed actress Amelia Semmer, is not good at answering her phone."

Amelia sighed dramatically. "I know. Anyway, I need you to do me a favor. Walk over to your desk. On it there will be a white envelope, which your maid probably brought up to you, but you waved her off and told her to put it on the desk. You have not opened it."

Marissa looked over at the desk to see that there was indeed a large white envelope sitting on top of a pile of other ignored papers. "Alright psychic, what do you want me to do with it?"

"Open it. Fill it out. Take it to the post office."

Marissa took a closer look at the envelope before tearing it open. The Schreave family crest was embossed on the high quality paper. Skimming through the letter, Marissa frowned. "The Selection? You can't be serious."

"Come on, Issy! We've been talking about this since we were kids. All you have to do is fill it out and turn it in. No big deal."

"I just don't know. I'm not really interested."

"This is the chance of a lifetime! One of us could be the next queen!"

"What if I don't really want to be a queen?"

"I can't believe this. I turned mine in _yesterday!_ Just think, now that we live in different provinces, we could both be Selected! It would be sooooo much fun!"

"The probability of that happening is …. like one in nine trillion."

"Geek." Marissa could practically hear Amelia rolling her eyes through the phone.

"Drama Queen," she retorted light-heartedly. After a moment, both girls laughed at the same time.

"Promise me you'll enter?" Amelia said when they had recovered.

"I'll think about it."

"Fine…" Amelia conceded. "But I'm going to keep calling you until you tell me you've entered. And you better ANSWER next time!"

"Bye, Lia."

"Ciao, Issy!"

The line disconnected, and Marissa tossed the phone on the bed. She frowned at the envelope in her hand before shoving it under a pile of papers.

Marissa allowed herself to muse over the conversation for just a moment. The very idea of her entering would be ridiculous, right?

_I mean, maybe if I'm really careful…_

_No. No, absolutely not. Nope nope nope, not gonna happen. It would be a stupid, not to mention dangerous ,idea. _

She looked at the corner of the stark white envelope sticking out from under the stack…

_Okay, NO, Marissa! Forget it!_

She flopped back onto the comfy window seat, forcing herself to open her book again and forget about the conversation with Amelia. _Good girl, Marissa… now sit, stay…You like books and thinking about the deep questions of life. You do not like wearing frilly dresses and pretending to be someone you're not._

* * *

><p>Four days later, Marissa still hadn't stopped thinking about the Selection. She had tried to forget about it, really, she had, but the idea of escaping her mundane life taunted her constantly. Since it was the end of May, the University of Allens had just started summer break. After only two weeks, she was already incredibly bored, just hanging around at her parents house. The prospect of the Selection sat there in the back of her mind, the way her cat Mistoffelees stared at her when he wanted attention.<p>

Speaking of, she should probably check to see if the maids had fed him yet. She trotted downstairs in some jeans and a t-shirt, and found the mischievous tuxedo cat lounging on the back of one of the nice leather couches.

"Oh, Mistoffelees, you know you're not supposed to sit there! Mom will kill you if you scratch her couches!"

The cat gave her a lazy glare that said "do you really think I care?"

She glared back. "Seriously, get down, or I'll turn you into a golden retriever." She picked him up, whispering in his ear, "And you know that I _can._" Mistoffelees just grumbled indignantly at being disturbed, and scampered off to find another piece of expensive furniture to sit on. Marissa rolled her eyes and went to the kitchen to get breakfast for the both of them. _Well, he is the perfect cat for a witch, huh? _she thought.

Witch. She hated the word. Whenever a _female magician _was on the news, she would hear her friends and classmates mutter the derogatory term. It hurt most when Amelia said it. Marissa could remember numerous conversations when Amelia would say something like, "Oh, did you hear they caught another person who used magic? The poor witch. It must have driven her crazy to be a freak her whole life." Marissa didn't ever want to find out what would happen if Amelia discovered her secret. Or anyone, for that matter.

"Good morning, Marissa." She looked up from her musings to find her parents sitting at the kitchen table.

"Oh, hi."

"Would you like some eggs?" their head maid, Georgia, asked from the stove.

"Yes please. Do you know if anyone has fed Mistoffelees?"

"Kenzie fed him this morning, miss."

"Thanks," she mumbled, distracted by the headline on the newspaper that her father was reading. _SEARCH FOR REBEL SORCERERS CONTINUES._

Her mother picked up another section of the paper, reading out the headline, "'Selection entries close today.' Oh that's right! I'd nearly forgotten. Are you going to enter honey?" she asked Marissa.

Marissa started to answer, but was interrupted by her dad's scoff. "Don't be silly, Lila. Marissa's too smart for that beauty pageant."

"I thought it would be fun for her."

"Well, I won't let my daughter parade herself in front of the country like that." His expression read _end of discussion_.

She wasn't sure why, but it bothered her that he hadn't even waited to hear her opinion. No, she wasn't going to enter, but she should at least be able to decide that for herself, right? _Ugh, he can be so controlling sometimes._

When she went back upstairs, she couldn't help but glance at the form that still sat buried on her desk. The white corner sticking out teased her, and on an impulse, she pulled it out from under the stack.

Today was the last day she could enter. She could come up with many reasons why she should do it, but there was one big glaring reason why she shouldn't. She was a witch.

Well, personally, she preferred the term _enchantress extraordinaire. _

If she entered, she could do something more exciting with her life. She'd kept her secret for this long, right? The odds that she would be Selected anyway were miniscule. And wouldn't she love to see the look on her dad's face when he saw that she'd been Selected…

_I need adventure_, she thought. _And if romance comes with it, then why not, right?_

_Right._

After filling out the form and changing into a nicer outfit for the picture, it was a simple matter to sneak out of the house without her parents noticing. They watched her like hawks, and unfortunately, the director and actress duo were both in between film shoots at the moment. However, they were no match for her talents. She'd used the old shapeshift-into-the-cat-and-just-walk-out-the-back-door many times through the years. It was quite convenient.

The nearest Province Services Office was only a ten minute walk from their small mansion, so she decided to enjoy the late spring day. To keep her feet moving forward, she repeated all of the reasons why she was acting like a crazy person. Today, it was time for Marissa Ashley Everette to be brave.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

**And that's our other magic user, Marissa! Not everything that I planned for this chapter made it in, so don't worry, I'll explain more about why/how she has magic later! Idk why it took me ages to write this chap (and it still ended up kinda short) but I guess I just didn't really know where I was going with it at first. I just knew that I wanted to introduce her. Just to clarify one thing, her parents don't know that she uses magic.**

**Thanks for all of your support, especially my reviewers ****_UltimateMaxmericaShipper _****(zanzi), ****_parade, 4Love4Love4, shadeslayerprincess111, mnbvcxz-xx, _****and****_ Perksofbeingminho_****. (Ayyy, look at me, actually acknowledging my reviewers for once, haha :D ) I'm glad that y'all seem to like Elena!**

**A few reminders: **

**-Send in your ideas for my contest! Remember, I'm looking for a chapter title for your character's first date with the prince. They must be taken from a quote from the book. You can submit as many ideas as you like until I announce the winner! The title for this chapter, which 4Love4Love4 suggested, is a good example, just choose one that represents what happens in your date.**

**-Check out my polyvore collection with the outfits worn in each chapter, plus a few other goodies like a picture of Mistoffelees! (Btw, did anyone get the reference for Mistoffelees name?)**

**-Also, on my bio, right below the link to my polyvore collection, there is a link to a map of Illéa that I created, so check that out too if you want.**

**-and as always, all rights to Kiera Cass! Except zanzi and I agree that we're still mad at her for killing Celeste.**

**Happy Thanksgiving to my American readers, and I guess happy November 27th to anyone else!**

**~majestic**


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